Cracking down

Terrorism can only be defeated by acting against it from as many directions as possible.

If we are to ever win what is a long and bloody battle against militancy, we need to make more inroads into the groups engaged in this at various levels, learn more about the methods they use and gather information about the nature of the vast networks involved in these operations. While we think of militancy in terms of bombs, bullets and suicide missions, the truth also is that it is backed by far more mundane work, which includes intelligence gathering, fund collection and other activities.

In this context, the operation by security agencies in Lahore, which resulted in the capture of 13 persons including seven women, is extremely good news. It appears that for once, intelligence, security and possibly other agencies coordinated closely and worked together. This is just what we need. The group involved had been running a large and reportedly extremely sophisticated telephone exchange, operating from three adjacent houses. The nerve centre of this set-up was located in the basement of houses disguised as the abode of a pir. Through the call centre, calls made to demand ransom or extort money were rendered untraceable, with an international number showing up on the receiving set. Officials say that calls seeking ransom for the kidnapped sons of the late Salmaan Taseer and former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani were made from this set-up. The breakthrough came after a call made late on August 19 was traced to this hub. Six suspects were able to escape, but more arrests have been made on the basis of information provided by those held.

More action and initiative of this kind is needed. Terrorism on the scale that exists in our country can only be defeated by acting against it from as many directions as possible. The structures which support militancy have to be knocked down if we are to weaken and defeat the powerful networks that have created mayhem in our country. The well-planned and well-executed action in Lahore needs to be followed up with many others like it, using the expertise required to track down the support systems for terrorists and thereby enable us to end the operations.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 22^nd, 2013.

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